Train order dispatch device



Dec. 18, O LEWISXET AL TRAIN ORDER DISPATCH DEVICE Fileq Aug. 26, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Iuz/eutow 4 OL/NE LEW/6' Lou/ 5 C. Bl/581N659.

awn W 3m DEC. '18, 1951 LEW|S ET AL 2,578,891

TRAIN ORDER DISPATCH DEVICE Filed Aug. 26, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors 4N0 OL/IVE LEW/5 Z2015 QB USS/N658.

" W E Attorneys Dec. 18, 1951 o. E. LEWIS ETAL 2,578,891

TRAIN ORDER DISPATCH DEVICE Filed Aug. 26, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 wlllhuj Inventow r x u- J0 'QuA/E LEW/s AND 90 Cows ClBuss/zvasfl.

Patented Dec. 18, 1951 TRAIN ORDER DISPATCH DEVICE Olin E. Lewis and Louis C. Bussinger, OFallon, Mo., assignors of one-third to Don G. Fike,

-McCrede, M0.

Application August 26, 1946, Serial No. 693,028

2 Claims. (01. 25s+2a Our invention pertains to a novel and useful vide an apparatus according to the foregoing purpose wherein a plurality of messages may be successively presented for delivery to a pick-up device on a train; and wherein the delivery of each message automatically releases the support to position succeeding messages; and wherein the delivery of the last message leaves the support in unaltered position.

Yet another object of our device is to provide an appliance conforming to the preceding objects which may readily be disassembled into a compact position; is easily erected and set in operative position; has a simplified and efiective release mechanism and is of sturdy construction and dependable in operation.

These, together with various ancillary objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are obtained by our device, one embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in its initial operative position, for the delivery of three 4 messages;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the apparatus after the first message has been delivered;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical elevation of a detail showing the attachment of the lower arm to the support;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the detail of-Figure 3, being taken substantially upon the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure '5 is a side elevation being taken substantially upon the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of the end of the upper arm of Figure 1, an alternative position being shown in dotted lines, thereon;

Figure 7 is a detail in vertical section, being taken substantially upon the line of Figure 6;

Figure 8 i a perspective view of a latch element forming a part of the invention;

vertically slidable on the standard l0.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional detail view taken upon the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10' is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section of the upper support arm of Figure 1 and some of the associated mechanisms;

Figure 11 is a detail in lower plan view of the part of the mechanism shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the pivotal members shown in Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a detail in top plan View of the latch mechanism of Figure 10 Figure 14 is a side elevational detail view of a fastening means for the upper rod of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a front elevation of Figure 14; and

Figure 16 is an end elevation of the message holding frame of the device.

Reference is now made more specifically to the annexed drawings, wherein Ill denotes a tubular post or standard of any suitable construction, rising from a base l2 and adjustably carrying the upper and lower, normally horizontal, support arms M and 16. The arm 14 is pivoted at 18 t a bracket20 secured at 22 to the support ill (see Figs. 1 and 2), and extending therebeyond at 24 is attached by a swivel 26 to a rod or cable 28. The latter at its lower end has a laterally extending pin 30 (Figs. 14, 15) which is selectively engageable with a latch 32, pivoted on bracket 34 carried by post I!) to secure the arm M in horizontal position, or which may be engaged under a hook 36 rigidly attached to the post at a proper elevation thereon to permit the arm l4 to hang downwardly from pivot l8 in a folded or collapsed position.

The lower arm I6 is pivoted (Figs. 3-5) at 38 between a pair of parallel plates 40, 42, constituting a supporting bracket 44 which is loosely and The arm I6 extends transversely of the bracket 44, in juxtaposition to the plate 40 and continues beyond standard It] which is juxtaposed to plate 42. At its end, arm I6 is bifurcated to pivotally receive at 6, a depending latch 48, whose hooked lower end 50 is engageable with a pin 52 joining the plates 40, i2. A transverse lug 54 extends between the lower surfaces of plates 40, 42 and has a downwardly inclined knife edge 56 which is positioned to engage the surface of thepost I0, when the parts are in the position of Figures 1, 2 and 5, in order to retain the arm IS in predetermined vertical adjustment. As will be understood, the weight of arm It produces a turning movement about the pin 38 and 52 which causes the post In to be tightly gripped between pin 52 and the edge 56. By releasing the hook 50 from pin 52, the arm [6 may be lowered about pin 38 to fold it against the post, and/or to free bracket 44 from its clamping action on post It! to vertically adjust the bracket.

Attention is now again directed (Figs. 6, 7, 10-13) to the upper arm [4, which at its outer end has rigidly attached at opposite sides thereof a pair of angle irons having co-planar upper Walls 58 and parallel side walls '60 which embrace the arm I 4. A carrier, consisting of a plurality of rigidly connected tubular rods, in this instance two being shown at 62 and v64, al-

though it will be recognized that any suitable number may be provided, which rods radiate at suitable angles from a common pivot pin 66, extending through the side walls 60. Slidably received in the open ends of rods 62,64 (Figs. .6, .10) are the tubular shafts 68 carrying a triangular plate It, H at their outer ends, said rods being urged outwardly of 62 and 64 as by coil springs 7.2, it being understood that any suitable means, not shown, may be provided to detachably retain the rods 68 in the rods 62 and 64. Such retaining means may take the form of a bayonet lock, cam and lug, or equivalent well-known means.

The uppermost rod62 has a transverse lug or bar 14 which prevents passage of the latter between the angle walls 60, as shown in Figure 2, and the triangular plate i has a pair of legs 1'6 attached thereto and extending therefrom. Each triangular plate H carried by the arms 64 (of which only one has been illustrated) is formed with a rigidly attached upper leg [8 and a pivotally attached lower leg 80 comprising a latching means to be now described.

The triangular plate H has downwardly extending lugs 82 (Fig. which embrace a tongue 84 (Fig. 9) formed in a strip 86 secured beneath leg 80 in a strap or clamp 88. The latter merges into and upwardly flaring legs 90 (Figs. 8 and 13) which have fingers 92 extending angularly therefrom. In assembled relation, the leg 80 is hinged to the triangular plate H by means of lugs 82 and 84 with the leg 80 abutting the side of the frame H (Figs. 6 and 16). In this position, the horizontally disposed rod 64 has the fingers 92 resting upon the upper walls 58 and constituting a pivoted latch preventing rotation of the rod 64 therebetween, when the leg 80 is prevented from pivoting about its hinge 82, 84 by a means to be now set forth.

Each triangular frame 66, H has a base 94 from which laterally extends a frictional catch 96. An endless loop 98, of wire, cord or any suitable material is entrained over the frame legs 1.6 or 78 and 80 and is inserted into the frictional clip 96, a parcel or train dispatch order or the like I09, (Figs. 1 and 2) being secured to the loop.

The lower rod 16 has a frame 10 identical with that of rod 62, rigidly secured thereto. In the case of the frames H and rods 64, it will be seen that loops 98 comprise a fastening means for holding legs I8 and 80 against the sides of the triangular frames, whereby fingers 9,2 constitute a latch engaging walls 58 and preventing downward movement of the device.

The operation of our apparatus is as follows:

A series of messages I00 are attached to the loops 98 which latter are engaged upon the Y- shaped legs of the frames 10 and H. As will be obvious, the horizontally disposed frames 10, 1| of the arms 14 and I6 are positioned in the path of travel of a pick-up device, not shown, mounted on a train, whereby the loops and their attached massages may be readily removed by a fast moving train. As soon as the loop is pulled from the legs [8, and spring clip 98 of the horizontally disposed frames 1| and rods 64, the leg 80 is released, and the weight of the arms 62, 64 and attached mechanism causes legs and fingers 92 'to pivot about their hinge 82, 84, whereby the fingers 92 clear the end of walls 58. The carrier then rotates downwardly by its own weight until the next stop means, which may be the latch fingers 92 or the stop I4 of the-next frame engages surfaces 58. This process repeats itself automatically until the last loop 98 is pulled from the frame. The arms l4 and I6 are lowered as above set forth to permit attaching messages and resetting the mechanism as desired.

We claim as our invention:

1. A mail delivery apparatus comprising a vertical support and a horizontal supporting arm mounted thereon, a pair of angle irons having coplanar upper walls and parallel side walls secured to and embracing the outer of said arm, a carrier having rigidly connected divergent tubular rods pivoted for vertical movement at their connected ends to the side walls of said angle irons, a spring-urged shaft extending through each of said tubular rods, a triangular frame secured to said shaft, upper and lower elongated legs mounted on opposite sides of said frame, an endless mail order retaining loops and means for releasably supporting the same on said frame and legs, lugs depending from said frame adjacent said shaft, and a strip secured beneath and to said lower leg and including a tongue pivoted for vertical movement on said lugs, said strip including upwardly flaring legs terminating in horizontal fingers, said strip, flaring legs and fingers constituting a pivoted latch, said loop urging said fingers into abutting contact with the upper walls of said angle irons whereby upon removal of said loop said latch will be released.

2. The combination of claim 1, and a stop carriedby one of said divergent tubular rods adapted to abut said angle irons and limit downward movement thereof.

OLIN E. LEWIS. LOUIS C. BUSSINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 589,975 Mozier Sept. 4, 1897 725,808 Weidner Apr. 21, 1903 1,174,051 Buland Mar. 7, 1916 1,760,730 Webb May 27, 1930 2,041,247 Hendrickson May 19, 1936 2,289,213 Robertson July 7, 1943 

